False Identity
by Pencilwalla
Summary: [Set in the Impressions universe.] A teenaged, slightly confused Kenji learns a lesson with the unorthodox advice of his father, the tears of his mother, and the mistakes of a close friend. [Set far after the end of Third Impressions][Spoilers for TI]


_False Identity_

"Kenji, if you insist on getting drunk and using a fake driver's license, at least do a good job of it."

"I didn't know the police were going to show up!"

"And stay in Onyx so I'll know where you are. Seriously, Kenji, this is extremely poor work. Anyone could tell it was fake."

"How?"

"The photo's grainy. The type is too big. Compare it to the real thing and you'll see it's obvious."

"Aren't you supposed to be lecturing me on not doing it again?"

"Your mother will do that. I'm trying to teach you something a little more practical."

"Like what?"

"Like if you're going to illegally drink, which I know everyone does, do it properly and stay in Onyx."

"And get reported? I don't think so."

"It's much safer here, where we're lax about these things, then in Platinum where it's more exciting but also more dangerous. I'm only looking out for my only son."

"Right. So you can bust me next time."

"Chizu called earlier to tell me where you were going, you do realize that?"

"What! She told you? But she promised!"

"She was worried about you- another reason you should stay in Onyx. She was crying over the phone, you know. After your mother ungrounds you, you should call her."

"Mom's going to ground me. Great."

"What did you expect her to do? Congratulate you? How much did you drink?"

"A lot. I won the drinking contest."

"That explains why you were unconscious."

"Shut up."

"Here. Drink this- it'll get rid of your hangover. Stay up here while I calm down your mother. I'll see if I can get you off light."

"You think if I groveled...?"

"You'd get smacked on the head. Don't push your luck, Kenji. Your mother broke every speed limit from here to Platinum on her way to come pick you up. By the way, if I can give one last piece of advice..."

"Yeah?"

"Don't tell your mother it was a strip club, or she'll really hurt you. And next time, call me if you need a ride. I'll cover for you as long as it doesn't happen more than...two times."

"Thanks, Dad."

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"Kenji! Are you alright! Are you hurt, sweetheart?"

"No, Mom...I'm okay."

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING, KENJI?"

"I'm sorry, Mom, it was just-"

"Just? JUST? You went out and got so plastered you were unconscious! You could have died, gotten hurt, what were you thinking?"

"Mom, I didn't know that it was going to be so...look, some friends invited me to come to the celebration party! I didn't know they were going to go to a bar, and then they gave me the id and I..."

"Got drunk like an idiot? I noticed. Goddess, Kenji, I was so worried about you! When Chizu called and said you might be in trouble, I was sure that you would never, ever do something like this..."

"Sorry, Mom, I promise not to go drinking with a fake id in Platinum ever again..."

"Good! You're grounded, by the way, no phone, no TV, no computer except schoolwork, no going out with friends, no video games, no fun of any kind for...three weeks."

"But Mom!"

"Nut nothing! You broke the underage drinking law, got so drunk you couldn't stay awake, and risked yourself for no reason! What would have happened if you'd called us? You would have missed a party, but the police wouldn't have had to call us, either! Why did you even drink if you were there, didn't you realize how- how stupid...?"

"Don't cry, Mom, I'm really sorry, I won't complain about being grounded or anything..."

"I just want to know what went through your head when you decided to drink."

"I...I...everyone else does it, Mom. I mean, some of the kids even got fake ids from their parents. I'm the only one on the team who never parties or anything."

"I see. Sweetheart, I understand you want to be liked and popular and all those things, but you shouldn't endanger yourself to do it. Those kids seem important now, but if they keep drinking, it'll only hurt them in the end. I don't want you to end up like that. Okay?"

"Okay, Mom. Sorry. I'll...go do homework or something..."

"Alright, dear. Did your father sneak you some hangover cure?"

"...maybe."

"I thought so; you seem too lucid to have gotten trashed yesterday."

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"Hey! Kenji!"

"Hey, Tsuyoshi. What's up?"

"You don't look so good. Hangover?"

"Nah. My dad slipped me something to get rid of it."

"Listen, we found another guy to do the ids, and another club. The ladies there are supposed to real pretty, but real expensive."

"I'm grounded, Tsuyoshi."

"Hey, you can sneak out, right? No problem. Only thing is, we need some cash. Our dads are rich. So I volunteered us to bring in the money. Just filch a bank card or whatever."

"I told you I can't go. I promised my mom, and I'm definitely not stealing money. My dad would hurt me."

"Don't be a wimp, Kenji. You already look like a girl; don't act like one too."

"I'm not into the whole drinking thing. I like my liver."

"So I should tell everyone that you're chickening out?"

"Yeah."

"Even...her?"

"Yeah, even her. I'm not gonna get in trouble for a girl, or even for you, Tsuyoshi. If you're smart you'll stay out of this, too."

"I'm not going to lose my girlfriend just because you're scared. What, can't handle a real woman?"

"Like you can. You're all just talk. You have to get drunk to be brave enough to even talk to them."

"You're too scared to even come. Don't get drunk, then, just come and hang out."

"I already said I wasn't going to show. Don't go with them ,Tsuyoshi, they'll backstab you in a minute if they get caught. Remember who your real friends are."

"I know who my real friends are- and you're not one of hem."

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"Saitou residence."

"Uncle Saitou?"

"Kenji? Tsuyoshi is out."

"I know. Listen...you didn't hear any of this from me, but he's going with some kids from our school to the Pink Tie tonight with fake ids. He stole a credit card from you, too. Some of the other kids are planning on getting him really drunk, stealing his girlfriend, all kinds of crap like that. I jus thought you'd want to know. As his dad."

"So a bunch of rowdy teenagers tricked my son into going into a strip club with fake ids so they could back stab him?"

"Yeah."

"Thanks, Kenji. I'll deal with him."

"Go easy on him, Uncle. His girlfriend put him up to it."

"I will. You don't want him to know you tipped me off."

"No., I don't. My parents are home I have to get off the phone now. Bye."

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**This just came to me while writing Chapter Six, so I posted it. Set way in the future, it's during Kenji's teenage years. I wondered how Kenshin would deal with all the problems of today's youth...and somehow this came out.**


End file.
